
A newly opened Indian grocery store in New Jersey has gone viral after attracting huge crowds during its grand opening, with videos showing long queues outside the store and packed aisles inside. The clips have been widely shared across social media platforms, where many users jokingly referred to the outlet as an "American Sabzi Mandi."
The videos have drawn attention to the growing popularity of Indian supermarkets in the United States, particularly in areas with a large Indian community. Many such stores stock fresh vegetables, regional groceries, spices, snacks and well-known Indian brands, offering shoppers products that are often difficult to find in mainstream supermarkets.
Footage from the grand opening captured hundreds of shoppers crowding the newly launched store, with customers filling the aisles and queues stretching outside the premises.
The overwhelming turnout quickly made its way to social media, where users compared the scenes to bustling vegetable markets commonly seen in India, leading to the nickname "American Sabzi Mandi."
While many viewed the rush as a reflection of the demand for Indian grocery stores in the US, others focused on the crowd management and shopping experience.
The viral clips soon triggered a wider discussion online, with users expressing contrasting views about the scenes captured at the store.
Some social media users said the large turnout was unsurprising given the demand for Indian groceries and the excitement surrounding a new store opening. Others questioned crowd discipline, drawing comparisons with busy shopping events elsewhere.
One user wrote, "Asians need to learn the value of personal space."
Another commented, "black friday mentality ! these guys are officially americans now. Lol."
A third user wrote, “This is not worse than black Friday deals!”
Another comment read, "What you expect from new Jersey. These are the fucking people just came out of local city bus from india and first time flying in plane."
Offering a different perspective, another user wrote, "They won't get so many varieties of vegetables like they get in india... So understandable."
Beyond the viral moment, the videos have also highlighted the increasing demand for Indian grocery stores across the United States as the Indian diaspora continues to grow.
For many shoppers, these supermarkets provide access to fresh produce, regional ingredients, spices and packaged foods that are closely associated with home cooking and are not always readily available in conventional grocery chains.
The enthusiastic response to the New Jersey store's opening has also renewed conversations about how Indian businesses are expanding overseas to cater to changing consumer needs.
As the videos continue to circulate online, reactions remain mixed.
While some users celebrated the overwhelming public response as a sign of the store's popularity, others debated whether the crowds reflected a lack of civic sense or were simply the result of excitement surrounding a much-anticipated opening.
The grand opening has since become one of the latest viral moments on social media, with the phrase "American Sabzi Mandi" continuing to trend alongside clips from the packed New Jersey supermarket.
Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.
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